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Tire Chains
{WARNING:
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without
the proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains could
cause you to lose control of the vehicle and you or
others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on the
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the vehicle, drive slowly,
readjust or remove the device if it is contacting the
vehicle, and do not spin the vehicle’s wheels. If
you do find traction devices that will fit, install
them on the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak outslowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, hereare a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire creates a drag that pullsthe vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off theaccelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake toa stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like askid and may require the same correction you woulduse in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot fromthe accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under controlby steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It maybe very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gentlybrake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
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{WARNING:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and training. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for anything else,
you or others could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, only use it for changing a flat tire.
This vehicle may come with a jack and spare tire or atire sealant and compressor kit. To use the jack andspare tire, follow the instructions below. To use the tiresealant and compressor kit, seeTire Sealant andCompressor Kit on page 6-71.
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
{WARNING:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3-34.
{WARNING:
Over-inflating a tire could cause the tire to rupture
and you or others could be injured. Be sure to
read and follow the tire sealant and compressor kit
instructions and inflate the tire to its recommended
pressure. Do not exceed the recommended
pressure.
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{WARNING:
Storing the tire sealant and compressor kit or
other equipment in the passenger compartment of
the vehicle could cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could strike someone.
Store the tire sealant and compressor kit in its
original location.
If this vehicle has a tire sealant and compressor kit,there may not be a spare tire, tire changing equipment,and on some vehicles there may not be a place tostore a tire.
The tire sealant and compressor can be used totemporarily seal punctures up to1⁄4inch (6 mm) in thetread area of the tire. It can also be used to inflatean under inflated tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel, hasdamaged sidewalls, or has a large puncture, the tire istoo severely damaged for the tire sealant andcompressor kit to be effective. SeeRoadside Service onpage 8-7.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damageby driving slowly to a level place. Turn on the hazardwarning flashers. SeeHazard Warning Flasherson page 4-3.
{WARNING:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you or
other people. You and they could be badly injured
or even killed.
WARNING: (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while
the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will not move,
you should put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire, on the other side, at the
opposite end of the vehicle.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (B), use the followingexample as a guide to assist you in the placementof wheel blocks (A).
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4. Find the jacking location from the diagram aboveand use the corresponding cutouts located in theplastic molding.
The front location is (A) 8.5 inches (21 cm) from therear edge of the front wheel well, and the rearlocation (B) is 3.5 inches (8.5 cm) from the frontedge of the rear wheel well.
The notches may also be labeled JACK with anarrow pointing to the jacking location on the vehicle.
{WARNING:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under a
vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
{WARNING:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal injury
and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack lift
head into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.
Notice:If you position the jack under the rockermolding and attempt to raise the vehicle, you couldbreak the molding and/or cause other damage toyour vehicle. Always position the jack so that whenthe jack head is raised, it will fit firmly in thenotch located inboard from the rocker molding.
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10. Remove any rust or dirtfrom the wheel bolts,mounting surfaces, andspare wheel.
{WARNING:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which it
is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the wheel attaches
to the vehicle. In an emergency, use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper or wire brush later, if needed, to get all the
rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 6-80.
11. Place the spare tire on the wheel-mounting surface.
{WARNING:
Never use oil or grease on bolts or nuts because
the nuts might come loose. The vehicle’s wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
12. Put the wheel nuts backon with the roundedend of the nuts towardthe wheel. Tighten eachnut by hand until thewheel is held againstthe hub.
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13. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handlecounterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
{WARNING:
Wheel nuts that are improperly or incorrectly
tightened can cause the wheels to become loose
or come off. The wheel nuts should be tightened
with a torque wrench to the proper torque
specification after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the aftermarket
manufacturer when using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and Specifications on
page 6-109for original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications.
Notice:Improperly tightened wheel nuts can leadto brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoidexpensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheelnuts in the proper sequence and to the propertorque specification. SeeCapacities andSpecifications on page 6-109for the wheel nuttorque specification.
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14. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscrosssequence as shown.
If your vehicle is equipped with wheel nut covers,screw the nut covers on with your fingers, thentighten one-quarter turn with the wheel wrench.
Notice:Wheel covers will not fit on your vehicle’scompact spare. If you try to put a wheel coveron the compact spare, the cover or the spare couldbe damaged.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{WARNING:
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
After you have put the spare tire on your vehicle, storethe flat tire in your trunk.
Store the flat tire as far forward in the trunk as possible.Store the jack and wheel wrench in their compartmentin the trunk. For storage, the jack must be raiseduntil the screw end is flush with the edge of the jack.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replacethe compact spare tire with a full-size tire as soonas you can.
5-Wheel Nuts8-Wheel Nuts
6-88